


Unravel

by sevenxhells



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Angst, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-02-23
Updated: 2013-04-19
Packaged: 2017-12-03 07:42:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/695880
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sevenxhells/pseuds/sevenxhells
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After bumping into Emma on the street, August had to decide between loyalty and impulse. With new truths revealed, how will they deal with the fallout? Will be multi-chaptered. S2 AU. Angsty porn.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Thread to Pull

**Author's Note:**

> I've had an idea for angsty pre-Neal sex for a while but I wasn't sure how to work it out. Then robinsgirlwonder gave me a prompt for August and Emma running into each other on the street and things kind of fell into place. It will be multi-chaptered so stay tuned for more angst and maybe some Neal eventually. Also if you think I'm being mean, then I definitely am. And as always, thanks to snarky for being awesome.

All he seemed to do these days was walk. It was compulsive, as if the moment he stopped he would wake up wood-bound, unable to speak or move. So he walked the small town until his legs ached, the good kind of pain that resulted in the repeated activity of flesh and bone working together, and when he felt as though he would drop, he sank into bed and slept dreamlessly.

The crisp chill of autumn air whipped at August's neck as he walked with his head down, uninterested in greeting the scant amount of people still strolling lazily through the streets at this time of night. He pulled his collar up high, moving his legs quickly toward the home he now shared with his father.

A pair of feet appeared in his narrow field of vision – a noticeably booted pair of feet – belonging to a body that crashed nearly head-on into him a second later. He mumbled an insincere apology and brushed past the figure swiftly, too absorbed in thought to take notice of the body's identity.

"August?"

He stopped cold in his tracks and lifted his head slightly. He could recognize the pitch of her voice anywhere. It was only a matter of time until he'd run into her; the town was small enough that it was inevitable, not to mention she'd been back from their land for several weeks.

"Emma." His stomach churned as her name came tumbling out his mouth. The agonizingly slow transformation in the weeks that followed his reanimation and the overwhelming shame that swelled in his gut rendered him weak and undeserving of her attention.

"My God, August… you're you," she sputtered bewilderedly, a hint of guilt edged her voice. She approached him tensely as if unsure what manner of physical greeting would be appropriate and settled for reaching out to grip his forearm, her fingers flexing and clenching almost affectionately around the leather-clad extremity in a uniquely 'Emma' way. "I… I was coming to see you. I didn't believe Granny when she said you were… you were…"

August felt his cheeks flush and he opened his mouth to speak, but words failed him as they gazed unbelievingly at each other. All that fire he felt when he was near her returned immediately and the hitch in her breath told him he wasn't the only one who felt it. Her hand slid up his arm and shoulder and came to rest on his cheek, her thumb lightly stroking his stubble. The cold on his bare skin seemed to disappear at her touch and he leaned lightly into it. "Emma…"

"How is this possible? I… I watched you die. Where have you been?"

He shrugged. "After you broke the curse, I woke up and slowly, painfully… I turned back. I hid away during the worst of it and when it was all over, I went to find my father."

Another stretch of silence bloomed between them. Emma averted her eyes and took her hand away. "I didn't… I didn't forget about you," she said quietly after a moment. "I know you might think that's what happened but… You have to understand, August, I thought you were  _dead_. And after the curse broke, so much shit went down and I didn't… I couldn't deal with it, with any of it. Especially losing you. You're my best friend and I…"

During her speech her hand returned to his arm, and August hadn't realized how close they'd gotten until his fingers were running through the mess of blond curls falling around her shoulders. Her hands move to his waist, pulling him against her as if they'd never be close enough.

He dipped his head ever so slightly and leaned in to kiss her gently. "I know."

Pressing her forehead to his, she smiled and leaned up to press her lips again to his with more fervor. His mind screamed that this was a terrible idea. He should not be kissing Emma in the middle of the street, or at all for that matter, but his body acted on its own accord. He gently cradled her head with one hand and pulled her waist against him with the other. She moaned softly and shifted, allowing him to take her bottom lip between his. After leaving him completely breathless, she pulled away and gripped his gloved hand. "Let's go."

It wasn't a question of where they were headed; August had the direction to her apartment building emblazoned in his mind. Heat flared up under his collar with the weight of a thousand different emotions crashing into his brain in an instant. Emma Swan had been looking for him, that much was clear to him. But what about everything else? He certainly hadn't planned on kissing her, and definitely didn't expect to be following her back to her place, presumably to begin where they'd left off. And in the midst of all this, he couldn't help but think of the fact that he was not only friendly with Henry's father, but had been instrumental in their separation as well as her jail time.

Okay, that would be the first order of business. Get that out of the way and then see where things go. August's lips tingled at the thought of feeling her lips against his again and he prayed he'd be able to stick to his plan.

"My parents took Henry out on some wilderness trip to teach him archery and basic survival skills," she mumbled as a set of keys clinked noisily between her fingers at the apartment door. "They should be back late tomorrow."

Words continued to evade him as they entered the loft, that feeling of ease and comfort he'd grown accustomed to overwhelming him all at once. Everything was exactly as he'd remembered, right down to Mary Margaret's floral mug sitting on the counter with an Earl Grey string hanging over the edge.

"Something to drink?"

"Water," he managed, his mouth suddenly parched, and cursed himself for not being able to pull it together.

Emma nodded and motioned toward the couch. "Why don't you have a seat? I'll be there in a minute."

Sitting back into the old cushions with his legs parted, August's hands fidgeted absent-mindedly in his lap as he tried not to watch her ass as she leaned into the fridge to fetch the water pitcher. She joined him a moment later, holding out a glass and then settled next to him, tucking her feet up under her body and rested her cheek on her fist propped up on the back of the sofa. "I only ever see you drinking water," she mused idly as she watched him. "Or coffee. Why is that? You don't like alcohol?"

"No. Quite the opposite, actually." He took a sip and swallowed hard, toying with the condensation forming on the outside of the glass with his thumb.

"Oh." She looked down at her hand, which he realized was now tracing light circles on his thigh. "I had no idea."

"It's not something I tend to open with… it just… turns out I'm not that great at saying 'no'." He felt sick as he suddenly remembered his conversation with Neal ten years prior. Even though he'd kept his promise, in the end it still felt like betrayal. Time to change the subject. "So I heard you went on quite the adventure."

"I did," she took in a breath and released it slowly.

"Tell me about it," he smiled, trying to feel relaxed. It was just like talking with an old friend, he convinced himself, and took another sip. He leaned forward to deposit the glass on the coffee table.

Emma's expression changed suddenly; the light in her eyes seemed to dim and a crooked frown formed on her lips. "I missed you." Faster than he could register, her lips were pressed hard against his and her fist knotted in his hair, tugging him closer. "I missed you so much."

Lips parted and tongues probed tentatively and as their desperation grew, Emma shifted, swinging a leg across his thighs.

"Emma, wait…." He tried to break away but she ignored him, continuing her assault on his lips.

"I've already waited too long with you."

"But… Emma, listen. There's something you need to know…"

"No, you listen," she said and pulled away to look in his eyes, her cheeks wet with tears, "I already lost you once. I'm not taking that chance again. Whatever it is, it can wait." Her lips were plump and pink, just begging to be kissed again and the light from the kitchen illuminated her golden hair spilling around her head like a halo. The woman really couldn't have been more beautiful if she tried.

Though he knew better, August found himself leaning up to kiss her desperately, knowing full well that what he had to tell her wouldn't only completely ruin everything, but she may decide never to speak to him again once she knew. Not that he could blame her, not now anyway. But nevertheless, her body slowly rocking into his was more than he needed to neglect that information in the present and focus solely on her.

With the roll of her hips, his cock began to twitch and swell, straining hard against thick denim. His hands moved up under the front of her shirt to begin kneading her breasts over a flimsy cotton bra. She moaned and ground into him in response, then pulled away, nipping at his bottom lip before removing the offending article and tossed it to the floor behind her. After tugging the black thermal over his head, Emma's hands raked up and down his bare chest before latching her lips to his neck, sucking roughly. He groaned and ran his fingers through her hair. The skin contact alone was almost more than he could handle.

Emma kissed her way up his throat and back to his mouth, slipping a hand around the back of his neck and drew him forcefully down on top of her as she laid back along the length of the couch.

August was all-in now, and he struggled to get a trembling hand between them to begin fingering the enclosure of Emma's jeans. He gave up after a minute and pushed himself to his palms, inhaling deeply and taking in the sight of Emma; cheeks flushed, chest heaving, and trailed a hand along the length of one leg. She held her breath as he began to pluck at the laces of her boot and brought her knee up to allow him to pull it free from her calf, then toss it haphazardly to the ground.

After shucking the remains of whatever cloth and leather remained between them, August pressed a kiss to the inside of her ankle, slowly moving his lips up to her knee, where she seized the back of his head and pulled his mouth back to hers. His cock rubbed hard against her thigh and she let out a small whine, adjusting her legs in encouragement.

"Condom?" He huffed urgently. Instead of responding, she surprised him by reaching down to her discarded jeans and produced a square of silver foil from one of the pockets. "You have no idea how hot you are right now," he grinned.

"I told you I was coming to see you," she replied nonchalantly and tore open the package with her teeth, then helped him roll it onto his cock.

August wasted no time burying himself inside her. It was everything he'd ever imagined, hot and slick and utterly perfect. She let out a sharp gasp as he rocked against her hips, taking his time to allow her body to adjust to him.

"Mmm… August…" she moaned and gripped his biceps, digging her nails into his flesh and rolling her hips up to meet his.

"Fuck, Emma, you're amazing." He chewed his lip in an attempt to hold himself together. Since leaving Phuket in the months-long search for Storybrooke he hadn't indulged in this manner, but from the moment he saw Emma on his first night in town, he knew his dry spell could ever only end with her.

He pulled out and pushed himself to his knees, much to Emma's dismay. "What the hell?" She panted and leaned up on her elbows.

"You really want to know?" He responded with a mischievous grin and grabbed one of the throw pillows that had found its way to the floor. Emma nodded and pinched her lips together as he hoisted her hips up high enough to stuff the pillow under her ass. He entered her again slowly, gripping her ankles to pull her feet up over his shoulders. "I'm gonna make you come so hard you won't be able to remember your name."

August continued moving deliberately, angling himself inside her to hit that sweet spot deep in her cunt. Emma keened loudly and arched her back in response, reaching behind her head to grip the armrest, emboldening him to stroke harder.

Her muscles began to shudder and she cried out, crashing her pelvis sharply up against his. He bit his lip in a desperate attempt to hold out for just a little longer, though Emma's writhing body below him made it extremely difficult. The metallic taste of blood seeped onto his tongue as her orgasm subsided and he felt as though he could breathe again.

He returned her legs to either side of his waist and resumed his position on top of her, their hips still elevated by the pillow. Her nails dug into his scalp as his movements quickened, the sloppy sound of the slickness from her orgasm only spurring him on more.

Leaning his weight on one elbow, he reached between them with his free hand, rubbing his thumb where they were connected to gather her fluid. He knew he couldn't last much longer but he needed to see her come one more time. "Okay, Emma, tell me where to stop…" He rubbed his thumb around her clit slowly, making sure to gauge the reaction on her face as he went.

"Oh fuck, there!"

He stopped right above her hood and pressed down. "Here?"

"Mmm, yes…" she moaned and bucked her hips into his touch.

He applied more pressure to the area and stroked solidly into her, breath shortening as his balls began to tighten. "Come for me…"

August exploded in orgasm and rubbed her hard with his thumb. She came crashing down a moment later with a sharp gasp, her muscles clamping around his cock and milking him into the condom. Slowing his pace until he was spent, he kissed her before bringing a hand up to cup her cheek. After having to pull away to catch his breath, he shifted off of her, settling on his side between her body and the back of the couch. August ran his lips along her neck and shoulder and his fingers traced up her ribcage, following each indentation before moving up to lightly massage her breast.

"August, that was…" Emma grinned and ran her fingers lazily through the tuft of hair across his chest. "Why did it take us so long to do that?"

"Well," he began with a sly grin, "aside from the fact that you were too stubborn to allow me to woo you properly, there was the small matter of trying to get you to believe in magic."

Emma blushed. "But with moves like that," she poked him emphatically, "you could have gotten me to believe in magic much, much sooner."

He craned his neck to kiss her; slow and languid, until they both needed air. Nestling into her hair, he took in the scent of her as her fingers trailed lightly along his arm. She smelled of sweat and sex and cinnamon. And he was utterly intoxicated by her. "I could stay here forever. Just like this." He closed his eyes and breathed in deeply.

"Me too," she agreed with a sigh. "Oh… so, what did you want to tell me earlier?"


	2. Needle Pulling Thread

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> August deals with the fallout

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow sorry it took me so long to get this one out, especially after leaving you hanging off a cliff. I had a hard time figuring out where it was going and then life got in the way, but now I have a pretty clear picture. This is a shortish chapter, and I'm pretty sure the next one will be the last.

His entire body tensed and he sucked in a breath as he crash-landed back into reality. Fucking hell.

"August?" Emma shifted, her bare skin brushing intimately against him. He cursed under his breath and rubbed his face, wishing he could rewind to the moment just before this. "August, what is it?"

"Just… please, when I tell you this, promise me you'll keep an open mind…"

She pulled the pillow out from underneath her and tossed it back to the floor, then propped herself up on an elbow. "Will you just tell me already? It can't be  _that_  bad…" she prodded with a grin. Her face fell, however, when August failed to return the sentiment.

"Emma…" He cleared his throat and licked his lips, hoping against all hope that she'd find some way to understand. "I know Henry's father… I know Neal."

"Excuse me?" She pushed up to her palm, her eyes widening and her breath quickening. "How? How do you know him? And how do you know he's Henry's father?"

"I… met him in Portland when you were together. Right before you went to jail. I told him… I told him who you are and…" August couldn't bring himself to go on. It was all too horrible before, and now… now that they sat pressed together, clothes scattered on the floor, the evidence of their lovemaking inside a tube of latex still semi-attached to his dick…

"Oh my  _god_ ," Emma bellowed disbelievingly and swung her legs over the side of the couch. She put her head in her hands and remained silent for a moment.

August shifted and pulled himself to the edge of the sofa next to her. "I searched for you for two years. And when I found you… I did what I had to do, Emma. You were on a dark path and I had to help get you back on track."

"So what exactly are you trying to say here?" She looked at him from the corner of her eye and reached for her clothes, pulling her tank top over her head. "That you're the reason Neal left me? You're the reason I had a baby in jail?"

"Emma, you have to believe me, if I knew you were pregnant, I would have never—"

"And how long were you planning on keeping this from me, exactly?" She stood to pull her jeans up, then gathered August's clothes into a ball and threw them at his face.

He straightened out his shirt and jumped up to follow her toward the front door, stooping to pick up his boots. "I tried to tell you earlier, but you kept throwing yourself at me, I couldn't—"

"Oh, so suddenly it's my fault? You didn't seem to be trying too hard while you were putting your dick inside me."

"Dammit, Emma." He tried to pull his jeans on, wobbling slightly on one foot. "Can't we just talk about this?"

"You have exactly one minute to talk before I throw you the fuck out."

"Look, I'm not proud of how things went down but you have to understand, what Neal and I did, it was for the best. He agreed with me."

"And why would he do that? Is there something you're not telling me about him?"

August sighed as he pulled his jeans up his thighs, struggling to hold his sweater and boots under one arm. "That's really something Neal should tell you himself."

"You're goddamn right he should."

He pulled the condom off at last before zipping his fly. "What do you want me to do with this?"

"Keep it," she replied, her eyes narrowing, then opened the door and shoved him forcefully through it. "Now get the hell out of my apartment."

"Emma, come on!" He dropped his boots on the landing and pounded at the door. "I tried to get a hold of him right after the curse broke… I sent him a postcard."

Silence greeted him and he leaned against the jamb, completely defeated.

After a moment, he heard her feet shift. He stood upright, hoping she'd open the door.

"You what?" She called out after another pause.

"Can't we do this face to face? Please?"

The door swung open and Emma stood before him, wiping at her cheeks with her free hand and avoiding his gaze.

August sighed. This was not how he wanted this conversation to go. And he certainly never meant to make her cry. "The last time I saw Neal, I promised to send him a postcard when you broke the curse. And I did. That was months ago, Emma. If he wanted to find you he would have."

"Where is he?" Her eyes remained glued to the floor.

"He's in New York. I don't know where, exactly, but I can find out."

"Do that."

She began to shut the door again but August shot a foot out to block it. She looked up, her eyes wide but swollen. It killed him to see her this way, to know he'd been the cause of yet more of her pain. "I am so, so sorry."

"I know." She smiled sadly leaned over and produced his jacket from the coat rack, stuffing it into his arms. "I just need some time to process all of this." She made a broad swirling motion with her hand and flitted her eyes around.

"I'll get you that information as soon as I can."

She nodded slightly. If he didn't know it would earn him a firm slap, he would have leaned over to kiss the frown that followed off her face. Instead, he released the door and allowed her to close it on him once again.

The next several days were spent trying to find a way to procure Neal's address, but the man hadn't even returned his first correspondence. It was also glaringly obvious that he hadn't made an effort to contact Emma in the months after sending it off. At first he wondered if the stupid pigeon had found Neal at all, but he had to believe the thing did it's job properly because if it hadn't, it would make finding Neal in an ocean of skyscrapers nearly impossible.

So he sent another with his telephone number scrawled on the back of an identical postcard to the one he'd sent months earlier along with a plea to get in touch. Despite everything that happened nearly a decade earlier, he'd always had a soft spot for Neal. Just knowing there was another lost soul from their world wandering around, keeping this secret… well it almost felt like having a friend.

Still, the last time he'd set eyes on him was from the rear-view mirror of a beat up Volkswagen Beetle as he left the harbor in Vancouver, a wad of hundred dollar bills on the seat beside him, and sick feeling that he wouldn't be able to leave it behind. Emma didn't need the money anyway. She didn't need to know that Neal cared enough to leave the money that landed her in jail, didn't need another reason to try and find him. The car was enough.

Jesus, this was just another thing to confess. He'd meant to spill it all, but Emma's less than favorable reaction cut things a bit short. If only he hadn't slept with her first…

August's stomach twisted at the thought as he sat hunched over a blank page in his typewriter. It had been a week; an amount of time far longer than needed to know Neal wasn't going to respond. Again. And he couldn't exactly blame the guy, getting in touch with Emma now would also mean running the risk of outing his whereabouts to his father, something August was aware wouldn't be an option for him.

He sighed, picked up his phone and flipped through his phone book until he reached Emma's number.

_Here goes nothing..._


	3. A Hint of Light in the Dark

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, again sorry this took so long. I had a difficult time figuring out where I wanted this to go, and how far to push it. I'm wrapping it up here because I'd rather focus on one-shots and drabbles right now, but I may continue it as a series eventually :3
> 
> Thanks to everyone for sticking with this ship despite some trying times. I love all of you and I will keep writing as long as you'll keep reading.

It was with extreme reluctance that Emma agreed to meet him at the diner one evening, her voice strained and small on the other end of the phone. August was surprised that she'd even answered at all, already having a script of what he planned to say in his head.

Before he could pull his helmet off after parking in front of the old familiar building, his phone buzzed. Come to the apartment, a text message stated in fixed-width letters across the dull grey screen. He kicked the engine to life and had to force himself not to speed through the quiet streets, though the distance to her place wasn't at all far.

The door swung open slowly. August hated the way her presence caused an immediate physical reaction in him. His palms began to sweat and his breath caught in his throat while he fiddled dumbly with his hands in his pockets, staring straight at her.

"Hey."

"Hi."

She stepped aside, allowing him to enter the apartment. "So no word from Neal, huh?"

"I tried, he just… he has his reasons…"

"And what reasons would those be?" She crossed her arms and shifted her weight onto one foot. He knew she was something of a hothead and often he adored that about her, but this was getting ridiculous.

"It's not my story to tell."

"Well what is your story, then? Any more bombs you'd care to drop or would you like to seduce me first?"

"Dammit, Emma! You know that wasn't my intention. Look, maybe I could have handled things differently, but I was 25. I didn't know how to take care of myself let alone anyone else, and jail was the only way to scare you onto the right path." He took a breath, looking for some kind of reaction from her, but she only stared up at him, one foot stuck out in front of her, tapping against the hardwood floor almost comically. "There is one more thing, though. Neal sold the watches and gave me the money to pass on to you along with the car. I told him you didn't need it but he insisted. I got rid of it. I didn't want you to live off of dirty money. It wouldn't have been good for you."

"Are you serious right now? Do you realize how hard it was for me to make a life for myself after jail? To get a job? To get a place to live?" She threw her hands up in frustration and placed them on her hips.

"And you would have ended up right back where you started. Don't you see how much better your life became because of it?" He took a step toward her, wishing she could just understand.

"Who the hell are you to tell me what kind of life I should have?"

"God, Emma, you are the most infuriating woman…"

"Oh, I'm infuriating? What about you?" The heel of her hand made contact with his shoulder and he stumbled backwards a step. "I trusted you and you took advantage of that!"

"I took advantage of nothing. Don't tell me you didn't want it as much as I did," he insisted, not realizing how close he'd moved toward her until their bodies were nearly touching. He cursed himself internally for making that a habit, but he couldn't help it, it was as if she had a magnetic pull on him. "I still do."

She stared up at him wide-eyed, the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes coming to a halt. With a movement so slight, August was unsure of how it happened, she leaned up to kiss him, taking his bottom lip between hers. He let out a small sigh and pulled her flush against his body, utterly desperate for her touch.

And just as suddenly as she'd initiated it, she pushed him away. "No, I'm not doing this again."

Listening to her would be the better option, but August wasn't about to let her get away with doing that to him. He pulled her back against him, eliciting a surprised gasp and covered her mouth again before she had the chance to react properly. She hesitated for a moment before pressing into him, moving her mouth urgently against his. Hands pushed and pulled, tugged at clothing and they made an awkward dance of steps until he backed her against the kitchen table. She moaned as he pressed her against the edge and took a moment to survey the surface.

"Take off your clothes, Emma," he commanded as he broke away, moving to clear the random clutter to the counter.

"What?" She asked breathlessly, bringing a hand to her chest.

"I said: take off your clothes. Now. I mean it." He watched as she began to shakily unbutton her blouse and pulled his shirt over his head, tossing it to the floor. "Condoms?"

"There should be some on the top shelf in the bathroom…" she replied unsteadily and stooped to unzip her boots.

Reentering the room, he found Emma letting her white cotton bra fall to the floor and hooking her thumbs in the elastic of her panties. August licked his lips and let his jeans and underwear drop, stepping out of them as he closed in on her. His mouth quickly returned to hers, his hands moving eagerly over her bare skin to seek out the sensitive flesh of her breasts, rolling them between his fingers into stiff peaks. Growing more desperate, he hoisted her up roughly and set her on the table, her thighs parting readily to allow him close to her center.

Despite whatever miscommunication they'd had before, everything was out now, every part of him bared to her, and still she was willing, still she wanted to be near him.

Emma sucked in a hard breath as he sheathed himself fully inside her, their pelvic bones making contact in the process. Their mouths connected and separated sporadically, breath hot and fluid on the other's face.

"August…" she moaned, enough pleading in her voice to raise alarm as she raked her nails over his chest.

He slowed, watching the strained, confused features of her face for a moment. "Emma?"

After letting out a small sob, she clenched her eyes shut for a moment before releasing a sigh. "Why did you do all of this?" She begged breathlessly.

He frowned and ignored her, instead choosing to lean down and latch his mouth onto her neck, pulling at her thighs to bring her closer. Fingernails raked across his back and the sound that came out of her throat was enough to send him tumbling over the edge. He moved until he was completely spent, but stayed inside her as he worked her little bundle of nerves until she began to shudder and cry out, scratching his shoulders hard.

He leaned forward, exhausted, resting his head on her shoulder. A kiss was pressed to his ear and she whispered his name so lightly he wasn't sure he'd be able to head it even a millimeter further from her.

"I love you." His voice was low and weak against her skin, his heart racing at the admission. Emma pulled back slightly and pushed against his shoulders with her palms. Averting his eyes, he moved away, only able to see the rise and fall of her chest in his periphery. "I've loved you since the day you were born. But I didn't know how. I didn't know how until I lost you. Until I lost everything."

She remained silent and he flicked his eyes up to meet hers. She stared at him, mouth slack and cheeks flushed. "You… you said Neal has his reasons for staying away," she stuttered after a moment. "And they're good reasons?"

"Very good."

Her lips were suddenly on his, soft and slow and perfect. He wasn't sure what it meant but he didn't want any of it to end.

So he began to press her back and she resisted at first, her mouth going stiff as he gently encouraged her to lie down. Eventually she relaxed, letting him lean over her as his hands maneuvered across her body, tracing the lines of her hips and ghosting along the flat plane of her stomach. She let out a whimper as his mouth moved down her jaw and neck, stopping to flick his tongue over her collarbone. He was certain she would be able to sense his destination, and as his mouth closed over one perfectly erect nipple, she tugged at his hair.

"You don't have to," she panted, though the trembling of every muscle in her body informed him otherwise.

"Yes, I do." He moved up to kiss her into compliance, and then restarted his path, albeit more aggressively this time, lavishing her skin with hot, wet kisses. The muscles of her abdomen contracted at the contact and Emma moaned his name loudly in response. August grinned and glanced up to find her propped up on her elbows, watching him wide-eyed and licking her lips eagerly. "I have so much to make up to you."

Kneeling down, he pressed a kiss to the crest of her lips, eliciting a gasp and a stifled moan. He smirked wider and traced his hands down the outsides of her thighs, then lifted them over his shoulders.

He kissed the inside of her leg, utterly delighted in the squiring that Emma was now engaged in and he ignored her pleas to get on with it, instead taking his time, making sure to leave not a single inch of creamy skin untouched.

When she bucked her hips up toward his mouth, he steadied her with his palm laid flat against her stomach as he began to slide his tongue up through her folds, exploring every inch of her like it was the last thing on Earth he'd ever be able to do.

She clawed at his scalp when his tongue pressed inside her, and let out a loud moan. "Please… let me come…" She attempted to roll her hips up against his face, but he pressed on her pelvis, effectively trapping her. The muscles under his palm began to contract and he knew it wouldn't take much more to set her off.

Using his thumb and forefinger to spread her open, her found her bud, swollen and ready, and made a large circle around it with his tongue. Emma's entire body went stiff as he flicked up under her hood and lapped at the small bundle of nerves aggressively, sending her into a fit of spasms that racked her entire body. He heard the thud of her head drop to the table and she arched her back upwards, clenching her thighs around his head and gripping his hair so tightly he wondered if she might tear some from his scalp.

When she finally relaxed, the cry dying on her lips as she settled back against the wood, he planted a final small kiss at the top of her mound and removed her legs from his shoulders. The labored rise and fall of her breasts made him grin, pleased he could evoke such a reaction. Reaching up, she coaxed him down on top of her and shifted under him to allow them both to lie across the length of the table.

Emma adjusted her legs, undoubtedly as a reaction to feeling him harden against her thigh and brought her knees up to allow him to slip inside her once more.

"Easy," she cooed, clearly not fully recovered from her previous orgasm, but wanting him there nonetheless.

He moved much more deliberately than he had before, filling her to the hilt before rocking away so slowly it was as if he was barely moving. Moaning, his lips slid across her neck and Emma pressed her knees tight against his hips, almost as if she was worried he might leave.

"How…" she gasped and let her eyes flutter closed while her mouth remained open in a silent scream.

August took the opportunity to begin moving with more vigor, along with the encouragement of Emma's hands grasping his ass while strained gasps escaped from her throat. It wasn't long before he came deep inside her, her nails digging crescents into his flesh.

He kissed her languidly before moving off of her, allowing Emma to turn and prop herself up on an elbow. Running a finger along the line of his jaw, she kissed him again lightly. "I love you, too, you know."

"I do."

They dressed reluctantly, pulling the other in for a kiss or two as they fixed their clothes. But there was still one thing weighing on August's mind. "Why did you ask me to meet you here instead of the diner?"

Emma shrugged. "Because my parents decided to take Henry camping again and I didn't feel like going out."

Cocking his head to the side, he raised an eyebrow. "That's all?"

"What do you want me to say?" She crossed her arms and glared at him, a small smile beginning to curl at the edge of her lips. "That I didn't think Granny would appreciate us having sex in the middle of the diner?"

"Something like that."

She leaned up to kiss him and patted him on the chest. "Look, I don't want to kick you out, but I have to take the early shift at the station while David's out romping around in the woods with my kid, and if I let you stay I know I won't be able to sleep."

August put up his hands. "No need to explain. How about I come by with lunch?"

Emma repressed a smile and bounced lightly on the balls of her feet. "Sounds like a date."

When she kissed him again, he pressed into her, knotting his fingers in her hair. "August…" she gasped as she tried to break away, tugging at his sleeve to encourage him to stop.

A smug grin was his only reply before pressing his lips to hers again.

He would never be satisfied with the amount of kisses he could give her, and maybe it would take the rest of her life to finally feel like he'd done a decent enough job. But if that meant spending every waking moment alongside her, it was a sacrifice he was willing to make.


End file.
